A Princess Appears
by ZABBM
Summary: Yukiko Amagi, after just facing her Shadow and discovering her Persona, finds within herself feelings for her best friend, Chie Satonaka, and struggles to win her affection, with school, a very flirtatious bear named Teddie, and a mysterious case of murders all complicating her quest.
1. Chapter 1

The day I came out of the other side was a turning point for me.

When my friends fought that monster... the side of me I wanted to hide, that was the day I got a second chance. I'd realized that I'd been living in a fantasy, in a castle draped in equal parts luxury and laziness... I wanted to be saved. And I still do. That's a part of me. It always will be.

When that manifestation of myself fell, and gave me my persona, I didn't quite understand what had happened. All I knew was that I had to accept who it was, who I was: someone who just wanted to be swept up by some handsome prince and whisked away to happily ever after.

Fully realizing what I felt, what I was burying in me, lifted a lot of things off my chest. Unfortunately, I had to do this in front of my friends, Yu, Yosuke, and Chie. I really didn't want Chie to see that, to see me be so nasty, to be so envious. I hated that. I hated seeing her face as my Shadow started attacking. I'm glad that she and the others were able to fend it off, but I still don't think I'll ever be able to make it up to her.

When my Shadow, my hidden self, was revealing all of my secrets, she let it slip that I had once thought Chie could be my prince, the one who'd save me from Inaba. I remember when I that first popped into my mind. I was a first year in high school, and I had just finished a math exam. I looked down at my paper, checking answers that were so obviously correct it was silly, just to pass the time, when I looked at Chie, who sat in front of me, one seat to the right. I caught a glimpse of her face as she was solving a problem. She looked so frustrated; her eyes were scrunched up, and she had on a frown that could make even King Moron cry. Then she looked up, and noticed me. She gave me a big, beaming smile immediately, looking down at her paper and making silly faces, until she started pretending that she was Kung-Fu kicking Hanako Ohtani, who, of course, was drooling next to her.

I couldn't stop laughing. I don't think I'd ever laughed like that before, although I think Chie might tell you otherwise, with my stupid giggle fits and all. Thankfully I wasn't too loud, but I was almost in tears. Chie was doing all her different moves on Hanak, which was even funnier, seeing as she was in her seat and all, until the boy next to her told threatened to tell the teacher if she didn't stop "Huahhhh!"-ing. It was amazing.

When I finally quit with my giggling, I asked myself why Chie could always make me laugh. Boys came on to me every day, and sometimes, they were the nicest people, but I never felt at ease with them. I never felt comfortable enough to just let myself go and laugh until my sides hurt; I always felt too embarrassed. But I didn't with Chie. With Chie, I could just be relaxed. And that's when my brain asked me why I didn't just date her.

I mean, that's how I should feel around my boyfriend, right? Isn't that a part of love? Shouldn't you be able to laugh, as well as love, in a relationship? It only made sense. It didn't seem too far out as an idea. I'd never dated; not any boys, not any girls, not anybody in general. Who's to say I could only have a prince? Why couldn't I have a princess?

I had kept that locked away in my mind for a while. I'd figured Chie wouldn't want to date me. You should've heard her talk about Yu when he first came to school; it was almost disturbing how much thought she had put into her little fantasies about him, and he'd only just moved to Inaba. I thought it was hopeless.

Sure, I was embarrassed when my Shadow began talking about how I had thought Chie could've been my prince, but deep down, I almost was glad. I thought that maybe Chie would see how I felt, or how I thought I felt... how I think I could feel. How, that maybe if she felt the same, that maybe she wanted to see if she could laugh with me... Wait? What am I saying?

I never said I loved Chie! I only said that I thought once, that maybe we could... try it out. I mean, just see if it... Oh, what's the use? Whenever I see Chie, I just want her to take me by the waist, bend me over, and kiss me with all the Kung-Fu power she has. Saying that now... it sounds kind of stupid. But, it's the truth. Whenever she talks about Yu, I... I kind of wish we'd never met. I wish that she had never made me laugh.

Toady's Sunday. Chie and I were going to go to Aiya, maybe share a beef bowl, or, rather, Chie was going to eat all the meat out of a stir-fry and give me a few bits of broccoli and a bowl of rice. I don't mind. As long as I get to see her smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

It's Sunday night. Chie did exactly what I said she would; she ate almost all of the food, including mine, she talked, she laughed, she smiled. It was a perfect day, almost.

When we were walking home, we met up with Yu and Yosuke. They were coming out of Yomenaido; Yu was carrying a set of new books, and Yosuke was holding a copy of "Forever Macho". It almost made me puke. Yu noticed us, and, of course, Chie started slobbering. I just can't understand her affinity for him. Yu's so quiet... it almost makes you feel cold, how calm and collected he is. He just sits there and listens to you talk, just sometimes adding some billiant input that he must've pulled out of his ass. I like him, I do. He's a good friend. But I just can't see him as a good fit for Chie... maybe I'm a little biased, I'll admit. But, she's so loud, and charismatic, and confident, and excited. That's who she is, she can't be with someone who's so different than her... like I am. Nevermind.

The boys came over, and we started chatting. Chie was kind of preoccupied with Yu's intense haircut, so I was left with Yosuke. Of course, he attempted the "Amagi Challenge" again. Ever since we started investigating the murders, he's seen it as an excuse to hit on me, every chance he gets. I never say yes to him, but he keeps on doing it. I was desperately looking for a way out. I was going to make up an excuse to leave when I saw someone pass by us on the street, someone familiar...

I saw his hair, and there was no mistaking it; he was a Konishi. I didn't know that Saki had a younger brother. He looked to be about 15, but he had the age of an old man seemingly emanating from him. He looked so tired. I knew that he was probably fighting something inside of him, something that was eating him alive. His sister died. I couldn't possibly understand how Saki's loved ones must have felt when she was murdered.

Then I remebered that I was supposed to be talking to Yosuke. I was zoning out there, but he seemed to have laughed it off and was talking wih the others. I saw him, laughing with Yu, and Chie, and I felt the same sadness from him. I recalled how he had feelings for Saki, how he must've felt when she was gone. He was fighting something within himself, just like her brother was, and him trying to flirt with me must've been his brave face, him trying to not let everyone worry, just trying to trick himself into forgetting her. When I saw that, I kind of eased up on him. I'd never let him know that I did, of course. I'll still reject him, keep teasing him. I think, that just maybe, he needs that. He needs to feel normal.

Chie finally got off of Yu's leg, and we resumed our walk. Chie started gushing about Yu, but I stopped her in time.

"Chie... what do you think about Yosuke?"

She looked a little taken aback. "I think he's okay, if he could get over himself, he'd be better. Why?"

"No reason, I was just a bit curious."

"You thinking he could win the 'Amagi challenge'?"

"What? No... Chie, I was just... nevermind."

"Something wrong, Yukiko?"

"No, I'm alright. Thanks... Thanks."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When I got home that day, I was just feeling depressed. My mother could tell, so she didn't even ask me to help her out at the inn. I just went up to my room without a word. Thankfully it wasn't raining; thinking about possibly seeing someone on the midnight channel sent shivers up my spine.

I immediately started getting ready for bed. It wasn't even all that late, but seeing Chie act so stupid around Yu just sapped all of my energy. When I finished brushing my teeth, I got into to bed and fell asleep immediately.

I was in the Samegawa flood plain, sitting on the bench just before the hill. I was wearing my kimono, but I felt so naked. People were passing me by, housewives and high school boys, and they were staring at me. I was looking down at the ground, just trying to ignore them, but I then, I couldn't anymore, and I saw their eyes. They were all yellow, they never blinked. They were fixated on me. I started to run.

I ran to the inn, but it was burned to the ground. All of it, just ashes. I was holding back tears. It started to get foggy, so I began sprinting towards the shopping district, just hoping to find anyone.

When I got to Souzai Daigaku, I saw Chie eating a croquette. I screamed for her, and she looked at me. But that's all she did. Her eyes weren't yellow, like the rest. She was just looking at me.

I woke up sweaty. My alarm was ringing. I looked at the calendar; it was only Sunday. I guess I had forgotten to turn my alarm off that day. I guess it worked out.

Without thinking, I called Chie. I don't know why, but I had to tell her what happened. Her phone rang about a thousand times, but finally she answered. She let out a gigantic yawn. In a normal situation, I would've smiled as she did it. But after that dream, I couldn't even think of it.

"Yu… Yukiko?"

"Chie… If everyone hated me, would you hate me too?" It was so dumb, the way I said it. But I had to know.

"Of course not. Jeez, you didn't have to wake me up for just that."

"Oh… Thanks. I dunno. I just needed to ask."

"Well, okay. Now, go back to bed. It's a Sunday."

I said goodbye, and hung up unceremoniously. I felt like a jerk. Like she said, it was a Sunday, I should've been sleeping. But I felt a bit better, hearing her answer. But I didn't feel safe goig back to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It's been a while. I've done nothing, honestly. Life has a way of slipping past you, sometimes. I can't say I proud of myself. We've been saving the innocent; thwarting the killer, braving the TV world, fighting shadows. But I'm still looking at Chie through a glass door.

Yu's not been helpful. He's been leading the charge in our little quests, our dives into the TV world. We've rescued a couple people now. Kanji Tatsumi and Rise Kujikawa. I should feel happy. But I just feel hollow around him. Chie's beginning to swoon a bit too much, now. I can't say I blame her. He's perfect. He's handsome, he's honest, he's never had to face his Shadow, probably because he has nothing to hide. He has everything Chie needs. And I'm just some girl with fan.

Today I talked with Yu. We were at the shrine. We were taking a break from some errands I had to do for the inn. I don't know how we got on the subject, but we did.

"How can you be so strong, Yu?"

He looked at me like I was crazy. I dropped it almost as quickly as I said it.

He walked me home after that. Of course he did, he's a gentleman. I'm just a heir to an inn.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

So, just yesterday we learned that Teddie grew a human body.

It was the oddest thing I ever saw. Teddie just took his head off, or, I guess, the top of his costume off, and was a person. So, he almost immediately started hitting on me.

Sure, he's done it before. And, maybe I was encouraging it. He's a very sensitive bear. I tried to encourage him, I wanted him to help us solve the case. But, I'm afraid I created a monster, now.

We had to go buy him some clothes, because, in his own words, he was "like a newborn". Chie kept laughing whenever Teddie would make a "BEAR naked" joke. I was almost done with him, with it all. I couldn't do it anymore. I could stand not being able to say to Chie "No! This isn't funny! Can't you see how this isn't?" I wanted to just punch Teddie until he turned back into a bear. I just wanted to close my eyes and not feel it anymore. I wanted them to understand.

I was grimacing, and I didn't even know it. I didn't want them to see what I was feeling, and I understand the irony there. I wanted to hide behind my shadow again, I just couldn't handle Chie laughing at me like that. But I didn't have to. Se stopped.

I almost didn't hear her when she asked what was wrong. It was like her giggles were still in my ears, burrowing deeper and deeper, shutting me off from all other sound. But she managed to break through, and I heard them again.

Of course, I told said that it was nothing. But she looked at me with a frown. She could tell that it wasn' just nothing. I don't think she knows exactly how I feel about her, but she knows that she was tearing me up inside. And, of course, Teddie couldn't tell what was wrong. Dumb bear.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I was dreading school the next day. I knew that I'd have to tell Chie something, some reason for what happened. Obviously, I can't. How could I? It's obvious that she doesn't like me that way. I couldn't spring that on her. I can't. She's focused on Yu. Yu can give her what she needs.

Y'know, speaking of that…

I spoke to Yu again today. He's good to me. He's good to Chie. That's what's important, right? But, I needed to make sure, I guess. I mean, I was. I came into that conversation knowing that I would be satisfied with him being her suitor. Not as satisfied, obviously. But after what I did, I couldn't be with her. I embarrassed myself. I'm a liability, now.

Yu didn't disappoint, but I still felt like it's okay to let him get in the way was killing me. So I stopped the act. I told him.

It wasn't exactly telling, in all honesty. It was more blubbering against his shoulder, bemoaning myself. As per usual, he just looked at me. He's got these eyes that understand, but never interject, unless his superior intuition called for it, I guess. He's kind of a superhero when you think about it, and, well, I did, and that only makes it worse.

We sat there, dead silent, until he asked me why.

"Why what?"

"Why do you think she likes me?"

I was flabbergasted, most obviously. I told him about the gushing and the flirt and her stupid eyes lighting up whenever he walked by and how whenever she trains with him she gets all anxious afterward and how I'm always listening to some story about how great he is and-

"I could say the same for you."

"What?"

And then he told me about when they talk. It was almost surreal, hearing him say almost everything I said about him and Chie, but about me instead. I knew that Chie was outspoken, but she said a lot of things that I wouldn't even think that she would say.

And then, he came to the Teddie incident.

"She said that you scared her, Yukiko" His voice seemed to actually have emotion for once. "She said that you were a different person then. She felt awful. She had no idea. Why didn't you tell her?"

Of course I'd never said anything about that sort of thing bothering me. She must've not known. And here I am, playing the chump, taking it, when all I could have done was say "no."

Chie would've said no first thing if I bothered her like that. That's why I love her. She's honest. She's strong. She doesn't lie to get through the day, to lay low and not have trouble. She's everything I'm not. And now, I realize, that she loves me, like I love her. And I have no idea why.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I know that I haven't talked about this in a while. But I guess I didn't have to.

Yu just left. After a year of his being there, Inaba almost feels incomplete. Almost.

Chie and I have been happy. It's funny, in a way. We were so afraid. I was wrapped up in this idea that she could never like me, and she was feeling the same way about me. I'm kind of stupid, I guess.

No. No, I'm not. That's the problem.

I kept on feeling sorry for myself, not even realizing it. Isn't that what caused it? If I told her, this could've all been avoided. All these awful feelings, all this crying out about it, all this sadness. All I needed to do was reach out and told her how much she meant to me, not let some Shadow me spill the beans and act like an ass.

When I got my Persona, I thought it was over. I could never hide from myself again. But that's only half of it.

Chie's right next to me. I couldn't tell her this, but I can say it to you. We're watching Trial of the Dragon. She's got the cutest socks on.

Thanks, I couldn't do it-

Y'know what? Thank you. Just, thank you.


End file.
